“Remember” (photo: Grace Church)
Week #89 – Remember: Keep the “Memorial” in Memorial Day!
This week’s post is a partial repeat from Week #36 — because it’s always a good reminder to keep the “Memorial” in Memorial Day!
“Only the dead have seen the end of war.” (attributed to Plato — and George Santayana)
You’ll see a lot of commentaries about Memorial Day this weekend. Here is one more — but it may not be what you think!
Memorial Day, for certain, is a day set aside to remember those who died serving our country. But before it was called “Memorial Day” — it was called “Decoration Day” because it was a day when families reunited at burial locations to “decorate” the graves of their fallen. And because many people traveled very far to get there — they would relish the opportunity to visit and reconnect with relatives, usually accompanied by a pot-luck or picnic supper nearby.
So, as I wrote last year, our modern traditions of family reunions and bar-b-queing are not really that far off.
It’s the REMEMBERING that we’re sometimes missing!
Your Happyness Challenge for the Week Ahead: Put the MEMORIAL back in Memorial Day! Enjoy your family, the nice weather, and the freedom we have — just remember to REMEMBER! This may mean simply raising a flag, bringing a note or flowers to a grave of one who lost his/her life in service, or writing a name in the sand for all to see. You could make a donation, plant a tree, or lay a wreath at the base of a statue. Even after the day is past, the flowers fade, or the ocean wipes the shore clean — you never know how long your tribute will stick to the walls of someone else’s memory!
How do you keep the MEMORIAL in Memorial Day?!
Spread Happyness — share your thoughts or ideas in the comments!
5/27/16 by Grace Church
© Grace Church
grace@spreadhappyness.com
I became friends with my husband’s pastor’s daughter. He preached to Robert when he was just a little boy and into teens. Robert loved him. Well, I connected with his daughter Ruth through Robert. Even though we never meet we have become very good friends due to the commonality of faith and family. She was with me with all that has transpired with and around Robert, my sister, your brother and all that life gave me. During all this her handsome husband, who served this country, was suffering with cancer. They had such a heartwarming relationship. He lost that fight this year…I was there for her. A few months later, her aged father died, a double whammy but, we know all about that. Tonight I reposted a picture of her husband in memory of his service. We have been teasing each other by saying she is my BFFINM Best friend forever I never met. Any uniformed man receives a ‘thank you’ from me…Memories can sting when the object of the memory is gone….
It can be an amazing reassurance when someone else takes the time to remember the person we loved the most! Thank you so much for sharing this story…and for continuing to follow along!